Ear appliance for facilitating hearing.



A. VON SUCHORZYNSKI.

EAR APPLIANCE FOB. FACILITATING HEARING.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 1, 1912.

1,077,766. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

511v anion I I a/Y/Yorneh ANTON" VON SUCHORZYNSKT, OF STEGLITZ, NEARBERLIN, GERMANY.

EAR KI'IPLIIANGE FOR FACILITATING HEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedApril 1, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Serial No. 667,660.

T 0 all whom it maycemcern Be it known that I, Anron VQZN Sucnon-ZYNSKEVQL subject of the German Emperor, residing at 1.Schild-hornst-rasse, Steglitz, near Berlin, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvement-s Ear Appliances for FacilitatingHearing, of which the following a specification.

Theinvention relates to an ear appliance for facilitating hearing andconsists in one. or more membranes with .bent surfaces,v

which are; either adapted as external ear Ine'mbranes to the form of theoutward part oizthe ear or as cranium membranes to the form-the head,being connected, by means of awsmall tube or rod, that is introducedintothe auditory canal, witha small flexible membraneous bag. By thisarrangement the middle of ithGBBlI is' lpermauently connected at :leastwith one large membrane arranged on :the outward :part of the ear or onthehead The largebody of :the membranes as well as the largesurfacefor-zthesound waves 1 tobe intercepted enable the sound to be:transmitted in an intensified degree to the interior oftheeamand in factin the natural way through the middle ofthe ear, the auditory ossi'cles:(malbus, incus and thirdossiele orstirrup) of whichin-com bination withthe a tympanic membrane, form the natural apparatus for the transmissionof sound. The

increasedmany times in connection with the transmission of soundA-matterot particular importance is the constitution of the flexi blesoft ending .of the small tube or rod, which permanently maintains thecontact withs-thctympanic membrane and the audi-' tory ossicles. Thebest :Eorm is that of the india-ru bber bag already .known in 60111160-tion with such purposes, which-adapts itself tolthe space occupiedbyithe oweous parts of the auditory canal and according to the.invention is connected with thersmall thin: tube 1 1 the small tube orrod, which latter is seated or'rodr The small india+rubber bags of thiskind hitherto :employedhave been made, as is generally the withindi-wrubber goods, of parts adhesively put together. so that unevennessoccurred in places, which could not-be obviated with'thesoft material.

Such :uneven places however acted injuriously after a time on thedelicate membrane of theauditory canal. Byflthe-adhesive junction ofsingle parts moreover it was impossible to obtain the precise formintended and the precise angular adjustment of the small membranesOct-the india-rubber bag, so that the desired close contact of thesemenibrasnes with :the tympanic membrane and the auditory ossicles couldonly be partially insured. A further disadvantage was caused through thelength of the old device, which also filled up the cartilaginous outerpart of the auditory canal. By movements of the lower jawbone inspeaking or chewing the lumen or cavity of thecartilaginous part of theauditory canal underwent transitory changes, so that t-hedevice waseasily shifted and thereby the transmission of sound impaired. Owingtotheconsiderable obliquity of the tympanic membrane at the back and inthe front as a consequence of which that membrane lies like a roof overthe lumen or cavity of the osseous auditory canal, and the inwardprotuberance of the cartilaginous auditory canal itself (at the frontand below) in the direction of the lumen the space conditions ditter indiflerent persons.

The present invention obviates the disadvantages mentioned. According tothe invent-ion the thin hollow body introduced into the auditory canalis made by a single piece of soft india rubber and precisely adaptedtothe lumen ofthe osseous part of the auditory canal. Moreover thishollow body is provided with a side oval opening, corresponding to theinward bulging or protuberance of the front osseous wall of-the auditorycanah By this arrangement a greater degree of flexibility andadaptability of the membrane to the different lumens or cavitiesof'the-auditory canal in diiferent persons 1s made'possi'ble, as .wellas apermanent close contact between the small membraneof this hollowbody and the tympanic membrane.

= The-small outwardly directed opening of the hollow body serves for theintroduction of as .a connecting :plQCG in the cartilaginous part of theauditory canal, and adapts itself to the windings ofathe auditory canal,but is made thinner than the lumen of the cartilaginous partoftheauditory canal. The connection of the small tube or rod with the innerhollow body on the one hand and the outer external ear membrane, may beeffected according to requirement firmly or movably and at one side oron both sides. The connection of the external ear membrane wit-h thelarge cranium membrane may likewise be effected in any manner aspreferred, and a direct connection be at once made in any manner aspreferred between the cranium membranes and the inner hollow body.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the middle of a right ear, itsauditory canal and an inserted hearing appliance with hollow body it,small tube f and asingle external ear membrane 6. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of the osseous auditory canal, while Fig. 3 is a transversesection of the same. Fig. 4; illustrates the interior part of thehearing appliance, hollow body 71, with small tube fin perspective frontelevation with the front oval opening 6 and the outwardly directedopening 0, in which the small tube f is firmly or movably arranged. Fig.5 is a perspective back view of this inner part of the hearing applianceh with the small obliquely placed conical membrane a, the connectingtube f and a closed double membrane 8 arranged on the outer end of thetube This form of the double membrane is smaller than the outer part ofthe ear and corresponds only to a recessed part of the same around theopening or mouth of the auditory canal (concha). In the form as in Fig.6 the conical membrane a, the small tube f and the concha membrane aremade in one piece and in fact of flexible material for exampleindia-rubber. Figs. 7 and 8 relate to further examples of construction.Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the partially broken off doublemembranes 6 and 2' on the outer part of the right ear, and the partiallybroken off cranium membranes g and 7c in combination, one below theother, with Z; as well as the external ear membrane 6 in combinationwith the small tube f and the inner hearing apparatus h. Fig. 8 is ahorizontal longitudinal section of the left ear with portions of thepartially broken off double membranes 6 and z of the external earmembranes, and of those of the head {7 and 7c.

WVhen a hearing appliance has been introduced into the auditory canaland has forced out the air, the small membrane (4 holds the small indiarubber bag so firmly against the tympanic membrane that the requisitepressure on the tympanic membrane or auditory ossicles can be regulatedas desired by moving the hearing apparatus lightly to and fro. Inparticular, depressed tympanic membranes can be put in the normalposition and retained there by slightly drawing out the hearingapparatus. In a further form of the inner part of the acoustic appliancea similarly shaped gold-sheet cone (Z Fig lis fixed inside the smallconical membrane a. In this combination, even with massive metal conesthe vibrations of the membranes are more forcibly transmitted to thetympanic membrane and the auditory ossicles. This inner bag like part ofthe acoustic appliance is made in a number of sizes and in fact forchildren, young persons, persons of medium size and large size persons,in order to insure complete iitting according to the size of theauditory canal and the tympanic membrane.

The bent membrane 6 of the acoustic appliance which has to be adapted tothe form of the outward part of the ear, is best made by taking a castfor each individual. The shell like form of the car will insure adequatefixing of the membrane made in imitation, so that the membrane only liesand is supported on a few places on the outward part of the ear. By thisarrangement the membrane is at a slight distance so that it canoscillate without hindrance. Notwithstanding that the conchylaceous formin itself imparts a certain tension to the iiexible material of the bentmembrane, the ring 7 (Fig. l) surrounding the membrane is pro vided bythe compression of which the membrane can be put under any desiredtension. This ring T which stretches around the circumference of theexternal ear membrane, lies with its lower edges to a certain extentagainst the outward part of the ear and in this way also enables theexternal ear membrane to be at a slight distance.

In the membrane for the outer part of the ear the part corresponding tothe back of the ear is formed suitably to the car, so that it lies inall places precisely against the ear and thereby above the membranceobtains a secure hold on the ear. This membrane is then suitablyprovided with an edge or flange which lies behind the ear at the back ofthe head and thereby gives the membrane a still better hold.

For the slighter cases of hardness of hearing a smaller membranesuiiices in the form of the concha of the outward part of the ear, thatis the recessed part or cavity that surrounds the opening or mouth ofthe auditory canal. On the other hand in cases of a more serious naturethe circumference of the external ear membrane a may be enlarged, forthe purpose of multiplying the sound transmitting effect on the innerpart of the ear. The most suitable device for this purpose is a skullcap 9, which is put on like a hat and can be firmly or movably connectedwith the external ear membrane as preferred. Inside this skull-capmembrane g a narrow, band like horizontal piece 0 is arranged whichserves as a support strip and which being placed on the head liesagainst the forehead and the back of the head of the person who is hardof hearing, while all other parts of the hat membrane can oscillatefreely. This support strip is arranged inside the hat and supported atpoints or places so that it can be moved as desired, and that the doublesided unequal lever oscillations of the parts of the hat membranesituated on the near and the far sides of the line of support can beregulated as desired. The skull-cap membrane may be connected indirectlywith the external ear membrane 0 as well as directly with the small tubeor rod f firmly or movably arranged in any suitable places.

A further example of construction relates to the membranes 6 and iof theoutward part of the ear and of the skull cap 9 and 7c arranged tooverlap one another doubly and with a greater or less distance bet-weenthem, so that a quantity of air is inclosed between them, which iscaused to vibrate through the vibrations of the membranes and furtherincreases the transmission of sound. In order to obviate any disturbingself vibrations of the membranes and of the inclosed quan tity of airfurther suitably formed membranes may be introduced and the distancesbetween the membranes be regulated as desired.

A further form of the invention relates to an ear appliance in which thesecond external ear membrane 2' is arranged at a greater or lessdistance above the lower one and is furnished with a lever havingunequal arms 79 Fig. 7. The point of support t of the two arm lever isarranged on the lower external ear membrane 6. The end of the short armat of the lever is suitably fixed to the small tube f, that is to say isconnected with the inner acoustic device, while the second arm 3 whichis several times longer can be connected in suitable places with thesecond upper external ear membrane 1'. In this form of the invention ofcourse the connection between the lower external ear mem brane c and thesmall tube f is dispensed with. By this arangement the large amplitudesof the vibrating external ear membrane are transmitted in a many timesreduced form to the middle part of the ear corresponding to the manytimes smaller form of the natural tympanic membrane, while inversely theenergy of the transmitted sound waves is correspondingly in creased. Allthe membranes of the external acoustic device may be made of anysuitable flexible material preferably celluloid, wood, glass, metal,etc.

On the small conical metal plates (Z one or more fine metal wires 4)(Fig. 6) may also be fixed which run up to the concha membrane s and arethere firmly soldered to a second small metal plate w, so that a rigidconnection of the inserted metal pieces one with another is effected.The wires 2) are suitably embedded in the flexible material, so that nodirect contact between the insert ed metal pieces and the walls of theauditory canal is possible.

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An earappliance comprising a membraneous bag adapted to lie against thetympanic membrane, membranes arranged outside of the auditory canal, atubular member connecting said inner and outer membranes, one of saidouter membranes conforming to the outer portion of the ear and the otherto the head.

2. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag adapted to lie againstthe tympanic membrane, membranes adapted to be arranged outside of theauditory canal, a tubular member connecting said inner and outermembranes, one of said outer membranes conforming to the outer portionof the ear and the other to the head, and means for adjustablysupporting the inner membrane.

3. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag adapted to lie againstthe tympanic membrane, membranes adapted to be exposed outside of theauditory canal, a tubular member connecting said membranes, one set ofsaid outer membranes conforming to the outward portion of the ear andthe other to the head, the external membranes being arranged one abovethe other and adjustable relative to each other for Varying the quantityof air inclosed between said membranes.

4. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag designed to lie againstthe tympanic membrane, a plurality of membranes adapted to be arrangedoutside the auditory canal, one of said outer membranes conforming tothe outer portion of the ear and the other to the cranium, a tubularmember connecting the inner and outer membranes, levers connecting theexternal ear membranes with each other and with the inner membrane forincreasing the sound vibrations corresponding to the size of thedifferent membrane surfaces.

5. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag designed to lie againstthe tympanic membrane, a plurality of mem branes adapted to be arrangedoutside the auditory canal, one of said outer membranes conforming tothe outer portion of the ear and the other to the cranium, a tubularmember connecting the inner and outer membranes, levers connecting theexternal ear membranes with each other and with the inner membrane forincreasing the sound vibrations corresponding to the size of thedifferent membrane surfaces, and tension devices connected with theouter membrane for varying the tension thereof.

6. An ear appliance comprising a men1- braneous bag adapted to lieagainst the tympanic membrane, membranes adapted to be exposed outsideof the auditory canal, a tubular member connecting said membranes, oneof said outer membranes conforming to the outer portion of the ear andthe other to the head, said connecting tube being movably arranged onthe inner membraneous bag and on the outer membranes for regulating thedistance between them.

7. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag composed of one pieceand having thin side Walls the front portion thereof having an openingtherein, a set of membranes adapted to conform respectively to the outerpart of the ear and to the cranium of the user, and a tube connectingsaid inner and outer membranes.

8. An ear appliance comprising a membraneous bag for lying against thetympanic membrane, a plurality of outer membranes adapted to conformrespectively to the outer part of the ear and to the head, a tubeconnecting said inner and outer membranes, the free surfaces of theouter membrane being bent to intercept the sound Waves.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

ANTON VON SUCHORZYNSKI.

Witnesses:

lVoLDnMAR I-IAUPT,

HENRY HASPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

